Various enzymatic antimicrobial compositions are known in the art. For instance, WO 94/04127 discloses stabilized dentifrice compositions which are capable of producing antimicrobially effective concentrations of hypothiocyanite ions. The compositions contain an oxidase capable of producing hydrogen peroxide and a peroxidase enzyme capable of oxidizing thiocyanate ions, which are normally present in saliva, to antimicrobial hypothiocyanite ions. Suitable peroxidases include lactoperoxidase, myeloperoxidase, salivary peroxidase and chloro-peroxidase.
In EP-A-0 500 387 enzymatic antimicrobial compositions are disclosed comprising a haloperoxidase, e.g. myeloperoxidase, eosinophil oxidase, lactoperoxidase and chloroperoxidase, which selectively binds to and inhibits the growth of target microorganisms in the presence of peroxide and halide.
WO 95/27046 discloses an antimicrobial composition comprising a Vanadium chloroperoxidase, halide ions, and hydrogen peroxide or a hydrogen peroxide-generating agent. Laccase is an enzyme catalyzing the oxidation of substrates according to the general formula: ##EQU1##
The enzyme has been used in the paper and pulp industry (WO 94/29510, for bleaching purposes in laundry washing (WO 91/05839, EP 91610032, DE4008894, JP-A64-60693), but the use of the enzyme in for antimicrobial purposes was not suggested.
WO 96/10079 discloses a method for oxidizing a compound with a phenol oxidizing enzyme in the presence of an enhancer of the general formula: ##STR2##
for bleaching dyes in solution.
WO 97/28257 and WO 97/00038 discloses a methods for inactivating a microorganism or virus with polyphenol oxidases derived from the bacterium of the genus Bacillus in the presence of oxygen and an enhancer.
The object of this invention is to provide a method for antimicrobial treatment of microbial cells or microorganisms, i.e. for disinfection or preservation, which is easy to use and an effective alternative to the known disinfecting and preserving methods.